MADISON BOXCAR ALLEY AND ARTISAN VILLAGE
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
MADISON BOXCAR ALLEY AND ARTISAN VILLAGE
Cre dit s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A bout Madison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Int roduc tion .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 B oxc ar A lley .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 H O B O Patio .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 Pat h and B ar.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 A r tis an V illage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 A r tis an V illage Plan A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A r tis an V illage Plan B .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8
Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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CREDITS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF MADISON • Monica Callahan, Planning & Development Director • Karen Robertson, Main Street Director • Ken Kocher, Preservation Officer GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION AND GEORGIA CITIES FOUNDATION • Cindy Eidson, Director, Community & Economic Development • Chris Higdon, Manager, Community Development THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CARL VINSON INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT • Danny Bivins, Senior Public Service Associate • Kaitlin Messich, Public Service Assistant, Senior Designer • T. Clark Stancil, Landscape and Urban Designer • Kelsey Marie Broich, Creative Design Specialist • Eleonora A Machado, Creative Design Specialist • Nick Riker, Graduate Assistant • Karen DeVivo, Editor
Madison, Georgia, is the quintessential picturesque town with graceful historic homes and a bustling downtown. Madison continues to draw visitors, retirees, and new residents seeking a nearly idyllic slice of small-town life. Spared by General Sherman’s March to the Sea, Madison retains over 100 antebellum homes and a wealth of handsome treelined residential neighborhoods. Madison’s significant historic architecture and the city’s traditional downtown have helped guide the historically sensitive redevelopment of the downtown and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Since the mid-1980s, Madison has undergone an impressive downtown revitalization. Spearheaded by a vigorous Downtown Development Authority (DDA), an experienced Historic Preservation Commission, an active Housing Opportunity Commission (GICH), a committed Planning & Development Department, and dedicated elected leaders and support staff, this decades-long redevelopment effort continues
to bear dividends for the community. First envisioned in 2000, the creation of Madison Town Park in 2009 catalyzed redevelopment between downtown and railroads. Now ringed with walkable, neotraditional mixeduse buildings, this successful redevelopment created a model for historically sensitive downtown redevelopment in communities across Georgia and the South. With the success of Town Park and other developments, Madison now sees the opportunity to expand redevelopment westward along two historic and active railways. In 2014, following successful negotiations with Norfolk Southern, DDA acquired the historic Central of Georgia Depot. City leaders envision the depot, currently undergoing renovation, as a trailhead, as a community gathering space, and centerpiece of a unique development along the railroad. In 2016, DDA acquired 2.3 acres adjacent to the depot. Already, plans exist to extend Bull Street through this property and create a public boardwalk and trail linking the depot with 5th Street and seven acres of preserved woodland to the northwest. With the recent development of 44 senior housing units at Silver Lakes Court and an additional 150 residential units planned nearby, Madison leaders recognize growing demand for a community hub west of the railroad. Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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Top: Madison Town Park Right: Madison Town Park Infill
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
INTRODUCTION
In the winter of 2021, Madison Planning & Development Director Monica Callahan approached the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership, a collaboration between the Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia Cities Foundation, and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, seeking design assistance for DDA-owned property along the railroad.
The Madison DDA envisioned creating an innovative destination on the 2.3 acres of DDA property adjacent to the newly restored Central of Georgia Depot. Preliminary concepts included a boxcar row using repurposed shipping containers housing up to 10 new retail, restaurant, and small business tenants. Distinctive microbusinesses, a proposed 6,000-square-foot brewery, an extended Bull Street, a multi-use trail, and a central gathering space would bring new life and activity to the currently vacant area adjacent to the historic train depot. Across the newly extended Bull Street, an artisan village using a single-pen residential plan typical of Madison’s historic neighborhoods would integrate 12 new housing units into this design. Buffered from surrounding residential
lots with mature trees, this community of quaint, historic-styled cottages would provide space for an artist-in-residence program, bolstering ongoing efforts to promote the arts in the community. With support from the Georgia Municipal Association and the Georgia Cities Foundation, design staff from UGA’s Institute of Government visualized Madison’s Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village development concepts. Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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Drawing on the context of this site adjacent to the 1902 Central of Georgia Depot and two active rail lines, Madison leaders envisioned a vibrant area of train car–inspired microbusinesses. 8
Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
BOXCAR ALLEY Constructed from shipping containers, these units could be revamped by local fabricators to incorporate two rentable storefronts in each 40’ x 8’ container. Designs created for the DDA include seven shipping containers with a mix of 40’ and 20’ sizes to allow for more flexibility in use and spacing. If the larger containers are subdivided, these containers could attract up to 12 new retail or other businesses to this growing area. This design also includes a rooftop deck on two adjoining containers, creating an overlook space appropriate for events or outdoor dining. This deck sits on top of a dedicated public restroom facility and a retail or restaurant space facing the multi-use trail. With economical construction methods, these units could help address the need for affordable downtown commercial space while encouraging new start-up businesses, gallery spaces, and more. The site plan for Boxcar Alley created by Institute of Government designers centers on a proposed flexible outdoor gathering space. Envisioned with an industriallooking trellis, this welcoming, open area could host outdoor dining or programmed events. An 8’ boardwalk and multi-use path links the proposed boxcar alley and restaurant or brewery
space with the historic Central of Georgia Depot to the southwest. The site plan illustrates the planned extension of Bull Street to connect with 5th Street. The newly extended 24’ street includes 47 on-street parking spaces for business patrons and visitors. This concept also includes landscaped bump-outs with space for 11 new street trees. Large-canopy street trees such as Shumard oaks (Quercus shumardii), willow oaks (Quercus phellos), or blight-resistant New Harmony American elms (Ulmus americana ‘New Harmony’) could create a welcoming cover of shade over time. The proposed 6,000-square-foot brewpub or restaurant includes a surface parking lot with 12 dedicated spaces. To service the seven containers proposed, this design includes a 12’ rear service alley partially buffered from the adjacent restaurant/ brewery and boardwalk. This rear alley allows the proposed container businesses to keep all back-of-house activities out of the shared space adjacent to the trail. Appropriate smallcanopy evergreen screening species include Little Gem magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’), Brodie eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana ‘Brodie’), or Savannah holly (Ilex x ‘Savannah’).
Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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This view along the multi-use path shows the train car–themed microbusinesses, the multi-use trail, hanging string lights, and a canopied bar area.
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
BOXCAR ALLEY
Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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HOBO PATIO
To help envision the layout of the 7 proposed containers in Boxcar Alley, Institute of Government design professionals created a three-dimensional model of the site plan.
This view from within the proposed development shows a variety of elements, including the train car-themed microbusinesses, the multi-use trail, a triangular common area, industrial trellis seating, and hanging string lights.
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
PATH AND BAR This view from within the proposed Boxcar Alley shows the train car–themed microbusinesses, the multiuse trail, hanging string lights, and a canopied bar area. Madison Boxcar Alley Path and Bar
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Top: Birds-eye view of the Madison Boxcar Alley Artisan Village Plan A Right: Artisan Village Site This bird’s-eye view shows one option for the proposed artist cottages to accommodate the compact dimensions of the property adjacent to Boxcar Alley. The proposed arrangement of these cottages maximizes individual privacy while encouraging a more communal atmosphere at a shared common green.
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
ARTISAN VILLAGE
Adjacent to the Boxcar Alley development, Madison leaders proposed an innovative housing concept to foster Madison’s growing reputation as an artistic hub. Local leaders envision an open pasture shaded by mature hardwoods as the site for a compact colony of artist cottages. This innovative concept could help grow Madison’s appeal to artists from throughout the Southeast. Designs for the cottages were inspired by the 16’ x 16’ single-pen residences found in Madison’s historic residential neighborhoods. Local leaders see the Artisan Village as an opportunity to grow programming, including a downtown artist-in-residence. As part of this program, prospective artists could be granted housing in exchange for contributing to a downtown art show and supporting the programming of Madison’s Public Arts Commission and the Madison Artists Guild. Cottages could be sponsored by local patrons or businesses wishing to grow Madison’s appeal as an arts destination.
Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
PLAN A
The site plan created for Madison’s Artisan Village includes 12 cottages centered on a shared central green. While accommodating the compact dimensions of the property, the proposed arrangement of these cottages maximizes individual privacy while encouraging a more communal atmosphere at a shared common green. This central open area could serve as a prominent space to showcase large-scale public art. A new 24’ two-way road with an 11’ spur maximizes the space around each cottage, allowing the widest portion of this irregularly shaped lot to be utilized. This arrangement also helps preserve a wooded buffer between the cottages and proposed residential lots to the west. This design for the Madison’s Artisan Village includes a dedicated 10’ x 20’ parking space for each cottage.
Madison Boxcar Alley and Artisan Village Designs
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To provide additional options for Madison officials, Institute planners developed an alternative site plan for the proposed Artisan Village. Seen on the right, this alternative Artisan Village site plan features 12 cottages, with the majority fronting a one-way access lane. This proposed arrangement of the cottages takes advantage of a rear woodland greenspace. Featuring a looping serpentine path and mix of mature hardwood trees, flowering understory trees, and an open lawn area, this common park creates a focal point of the design and could create a perfect venue for open-air painting, programming, and more. By keeping the cottages to the eastern end of the site, this concept also preserves a larger buffer between the cottages and proposed residential lots to the west. The design for Madison’s Artisan Village includes 18 dedicated on-street parking spaces. 18
Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
PLAN B
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This illustrative rendering shows the traditional materials and intimate scale of the proposed artist cottages. These welcoming cottages reference historic cottages found in Madison’s traditional residential neighborhoods.
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Project for the Downtown Development Authority of Madison
ARTISAN VILLAGE
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